UArizona offers free med school tuition for in-state practice commitment

PHOENIX – The University of Arizona is taking on the state’s doctor shortage and student debt crisis with a new free tuition program for medical students.

The university announced Friday that its medical schools in Tucson and Phoenix will offer free tuition to in-state students who commit to practicing primary care in a designated Arizona community for at least two years.

“In addition to the dire need for more primary care physicians in the state, the issue of student debt is a major roadblock for many people who have the potential to be great doctors,” Dr. Michael D. Dake, senior vice president for UArizona Health Sciences, said in a press release. “It keeps many individuals from even applying to medical school.”

The state is meeting only 40% percent of its need for primary care doctors, according to the release, and the demand is on the rise.

To address both the severe statewide primary care physician shortage and the growing burden of student debt, @UArizona Health Sciences has partnered with the State of Arizona to take steps to tackle this pressing health issue. Details: https://t.co/0CyKzQjbNI pic.twitter.com/6WTHAfjXwr

— Univ. of Arizona 🐻⬇ (@uarizona) November 22, 2019

“Arizona needs nearly 600 primary care physicians today, and the number is expected to grow to more than 1,900 by 2030,” Dake said.

The free tuition program will start in the spring semester and be funded with a portion of $8 million in annual funding from the Arizona Legislature, according to the release. That funding is also being used to increase class size at the Phoenix campus of the UArizona College of Medicine.

“Ensuring every Arizona resident, whether in rural communities or urban cities, has access to quality health care is a top priority for Arizona,” Gov. Doug Ducey said in the release.

Applicants must be Arizona residents and current full-time students at one of the university’s medical schools. Nearly 100 students could be eligible for the offer, the release said.

To get free tuition, students must practice for at least two consecutive years in a federally designated underserved community or health professional shortage area in Arizona starting within six years of graduation.

The tuition for Arizona residents is about $33,000 per year. Medical school is four years.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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